Universal towel dispenser



NJ. sLYE ETAL 3,269,592

UNIVERSAL TOWEL DISPENSERv l Aug. 309

2 Sheets-Shee't l Filed Sept. 26, 1963 INVENTOR5 J. 5 .c YE

A r rale/vs v5 N. J. SLYE ET AL UNvERsAL TOWEL DISPENSER Aug.. 3G, w66

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1963 United States Patent O 3,269,592UNIVERSAL TOWEL DISPENSER Norman J. Slye, Bernard E. Blanchard, andArchie S.

Krueger, Green Bay, Wis., assignors to Alwin Manufacturing Company,Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Sept. 26, 1963, Ser.No. 311,793 10 Claims. (Cl. 221--44) This invention relates to auniversal towel dispenser.

With the aid of an insert which is readily attached and removed by theuser, a dispenser embodying the invention is capable of handling withoutother change a wide variety of towel sizes and forms including bothinterfolded and C-folded towels. i

The dispenser comprises a cabinet having attached to its back a bottomwall or tray which is in part substantially horizontal and in part isinclined obliquely forwardly and upwardly, the transverse -dispensingslot extending into both of these parts and having maximum forward torear width intermediate its ends, the ends of the slot being narrowedand forwardly directed.

The construction of the upwardly oblique forward portion of the bottomwall or tray is important. It contains easers of two different types,shouldered finger type easers alternating with upwardly embossed ribswhich are of critical dimension as hereinafter noted.

The removable insert is applied at the rear of the generally horizontalportion of the cabinet bottom. It provides a supplemental bottom walland is used particularly when interfolded towels are to be dispensed.The insert includes easers which project inwardly from the rear of thecabinet when the insert is in position. Releasably interlocking portionsof the insert and the side walls of the cabinet are adapted to assist inpositioning the insert and retaining it against accidental displacement.

The front wall of the cabinet is hinged to the side walls and has itsown side walls lapping lthose with which the rear wall is provided. Thelapping portions of the side Walls have complementary lug and channelmeans for limiting pivotal movement of the front wall with respect tothe rear wall of the cabinet. When the front wall is moved pivotallydownwardly to the limit controlled by the interlocking lug and channelmeans aforesaid, the bottom wall or shelf is fully exposed for theloading of towels thereon.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a towel cabinet embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 shows the same cabinet in bottom three-fourths perspective toillustrate the dispensing slot.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view taken in horizontal section in theplane indicated by the line 3-3 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail view on a further enlarged scale taken online 4 4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective showing the cabinetfront wall in open position and exposing the bottom wall or shelf onwhich a stack of towels may be supported for dispensing.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the parts as they appear whenthe supplemental insert is in use for dispensing interfolded towels.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the supplemental insert inposition.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view taken in section on the line 8 8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

The cabinet back 10 is intended to be mounted in the usual manner upon awall or other support. To it are connected support side walls 12 and 14.Supported by the back is the bottom or shelf portion 16 of the dispenser3,269,592 Patented August 30, 1966 which carries a stack of towels to bedispensed. This may have a ange 18 riveted or otherwise secured to theside walls 12 and 14 and the back 10 of the dispenser. As clearlyappears in FIG. 4, the portion 20 of the dispenser bottom 16 isrelatively horizontal but the portion 22 is inclined obliquely forwardlyand upwardly andincludes an upright flange 24.

The dispensing opening 26 lies partially in the generally horizontalpart of the shelf portion 16 of the dispenser and partially in theoblique inclined Wall 22 thereof. The front margin of the slot is formedby a rib 30 which is quite important to the proper dispensing of towelsand is nearly rectilinear through a major part of the length of the slot26. However, the rib has hooked ends at 32 and 34 about the forwardlydirected portions 36, 38 of the slot. The rear margin of the slot is notparallel to the rib 30 but progressively diverges from rib 30 from bothends toward the center, the divergence being decreased at 40 and 42 andincreased again to provide a rearward arc at 44, all as best shown inFIG. 3.

Flat topped ribs 46 which serve as easers extend from the forward wall24 toward the rib 30. These should desirably be between nine-sixteenthsof an inch and fiveeighths of an inch in width for best results indispensing towels. Moreover, these easers should be approximatelyone-sixteenth of an inch lower than the top of the rib or bead 30 at thepoints where the easers 46 merge with the bead (FIG. 4).

The rib or bead 30 has an overall height of about onefourt-h of an inchbut this is not as critical as the dierential between the height of thebead and the height of the easers 46.

In practice, the dispensing slot 26 has an overall length of ten inches.This length is determined on the basis of the currently available towelswhich it is desired to dispense. In other words, the length of the slotis given 'by way of example and not by way of limitation. It is,however, important that the offset provided by the hooked end portions32 and 34 of the bead 30 should be lin the neighborhood of one-eighth ofan inch. Without an ofset of approximately this amount, certainmulti-fold types of towels will not be released without tearing theedges of the towel.

Between the easers 46 there are easers which have the form of shoulderedlingers as shown at 50. These lingers are formed from the ange 24 andthe bottom wall 22 as clearly appears in FIG. 4. The linger portions 52converge downwardly and rearwardly toward the alreadyinclined bottomWall 22 andare abruptly offset toward the bottom wall at the shoulders54. The free end portions 56 are generally parallel to the portions 52.Alternating this particular type of easer with the flat topped ri'beasers 46 is very desirable for assuring that various types of towelswill be dispensed satisfactorily.

When interfolded towels are to lbe dispensed, the insert genericallydesignated `by reference character 60 is placed on the t-ray as bestshown in FIGS. 6 to 9. This insert completely covers the generallyhorizontal portion 20 of the bottom wall or tray 16 and provides asubstitute supporting surface which includes 4three separate panels 62,64 and 66, all of which are inclined downwardly and forwardly, theinclination being progressively increased from rea-r to front as clearlyshown in FIG. 7. The lower margin of panel 66 engages the tray beyondthe ends of the dispensing slot 26 and, lin effect, eliminates use ofall of that portion of such slot which is formed in the horizontalportion 20 of the tray. As shown in FIG. 8, the margin 68 of Ipanel 66is parallel to and is relatively close to the lbead 30 which forms theforward margin of slot 26.

An integral flange 70 extending downwardly from the rear of panel 60lies in substantially face contact with the rear wall of the cabinet.The ends of the insert ex- .tend to the side walls 12 and 14 and arereleasably positioned by slight protnberances 72 which are struck fr-omthe side walls and engaged over the ends of the insert as best shown inFIGS. 6, 7 and 9. There is sufiicient exibility in the side walls sothat they may be sprung outwardly to disengage the embossedprotuberances 72 from the ends of the insert when it is desired toremove the insert.

Struck from the panel portion 62 of insert 60 are the easer fingers 74which are el'bowed to extend forwardly substantially from the rear wall10 of the cabinet in approximate parallelism with the panel 62 andsomewhat spaced above the panel. The spacing is not critical but thegeneral proportions indicated in the drawings have been foundsatisfactory.

Interfolded towels With the insert in place interfolded towels of a widevariety of lengths and widths can be stacked on the tray and insertshown in FIG. 6 for dispensing singly without tearing or other damage.FIG. 7 shows at S6 the position of a single towel of the interfoldedtype which is muc-h narrower than the front-to-rear depth of thecabitween the rib 30 and the easers 46 and insert 60.

If a relatively narrow towel tends to pull bodily forwardly when graspedby a user (as may happen when only a few towels remain in the cabinet),the towel margins will tend to engage shoulders 54 of easers 50 and willbe restrained thereby against further bodily displacement.

C-fold towels If any other form of towel or the like is to be dispensed,the insert will preferably be removed. C-fold 4towels stacked on thetray with their inwardly formed margins exposed downwardly will bereadily accessible through the dispensing opening 26 and have a curve orchanneled form indicated at 90 as a result of the outline of the margins40, 42 and 44 of the dispenser slot shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows at 80a single C-fold towel to illustrate how its inwardly turned margin 84hangs from the outline of margin 40, 42 and 44 of the dispenser slot 26,it being intended that the rear margin 84 will be the margin to begrasped by the user. A wide variety of lengths and widths of C-foldtowels can be dispensed from a dispenser embodying the invention withoutrequiring change in the dispenser, and particularly if such dispenser isequipped as shown with lbead 30 and easers 46 and S0 in relation to thebottom portion of the tray 16.

Because of the construction illustrated, each size or shape or type oftowel within the capacity of the apparatus will dispense as readily aswould be the case with a dispenser specifically designed for theparticular towel. This is true whether the towels are made of so-calledsoft or hard paper and regardless of their ratio of length to width andregardless of the fold used. We claim:

1. A towel dispenser or the like adapted to handle products of a numberof different types and folds, said dispenser comprising a tray forsupporting a stack of the products to be dispensed and comprising abottom having la rearwardly downwardly inclined forward portion Iand agenerally horizontal rearward portion, the respective portions having adispensing slot which extends into both of said portions, the firstmentioned portion having a product supporting rib along the forwardmargin of said slot and having laterally spaced easer ribs extendingfore and aft and projecting rearwardly to said first mentioned rib, theforward margin of the dispensing slot curving forwardly at its ends andthe product supporting rib having terminal Ahooks which include forwardoffsets and rearwardly extending ends encircling the forwardly curvingends of the slot, the said dispensing slot following the outline of saidoffsets and hooks.

2. A towel dispenser or the like adapted to handle products of a numberof different types and folds, said dispenser comprising a tray forsupporting a stack of the products to be dispensed .and comprising abottom having a rearwardly downwardly inclined forward portion and agenerally horizontal rearward portion, the respective portions having adispensing slot which extends into both of said portions, thel firstmentioned portion having a product supporting rib -along the forwardmargin of said slot and having laterally spaced easer ribs extendingfore and aft and projecting rearwardly to said first mentioned rib, saidfore Iand aft extending ribs being rearwardly downwardly inclined towardsaid first rib and have lower end portions immediately adjacent saidfirst rib which are offset downwardly therefrom, said fore and aft ribshaving said lower end portions at a materially lower level than saidfirst rib.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2 in which said fore and aft extendingribs are between five-eighths of an inch and nine-sixteenths of an inchin width and the said lower end portions are joined to the rib firstmentioned .and at their juncture with the first rib being approximatelyone-sixteenth of an inch lower than the top of the first rib.

4. A towel dispenser or the like adapted to handle products of a numberof different types and folds, said dispenser comprising a tray forsupporting a stack of the products to be dispensed and comprising abottom having a rearwardly downwardly inclined forward portion and agenerally horizontal rearward portion, the.

respective portions having a dispensing slot which extends into both ofsaid portions, the first mentioned portion -having a product supporting.rib along the forward margin of said slot and having laterally spacedeaser ribs extending fore and raft and projecting rearwardly to saidfirst mentioned rib, said tray having an upstanding flange at itsforward side and easer fingers mounted entirely on said flange andextending rearwardly from said ange for a distance less than therearward extension of the fore and aft ribs and at a level above thefore and aft ribs and in positions alternating with the fore and aftribs first mentioned.

5. A dispenser according to claim 4 in which the fingers which extendrearwardly from said flange are struck integrally from the material ofthe flange and provided intermediate their ends with downwardly offsetportions and a shoulder at the offset of said portions, said lastmentioned fingers being convergent toward the tray both forwardly of andrearwardly of the said shoulder.

6. A towel dispenser or the like adapted to handle products of a numberof different types land folds, said dispenser comprising a tray forsupporting a stack of the products to be dispensed and comprising abottom having a rearwardly downwardly inclined forward portion and agenerally horizontal rearward portion, the respective portions having adispensing slot which extends into both of said portions, the firstmentioned por tion having a product supporting rib along the .forwardm-argin of said slot and having laterally spaced easer ribs extendingfore and aft and projecting rearwardly to said first mentioned rib and areadily removable insert superimposed on the generally horizontal rearportion of the tray bottom, said `insert being inclined downwardlytoward said slot Iand having a forward margin-al portion which covers apart of said slot.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6 in which said insert includeslaterally spaced easer lingers connected With the insert 'at the rearthereof and projecting forwardly over a part of the insert in upwardlyspaced relation thereto.

8. A dispenser according to claim 7 in which said insert comprises aWall having longitudinal bends eX- tending laterally of the dispenserand dividing said wall into laterally elongated panels of differentinclination, the rearmost of which has the least inclination and theforwardrnost of which has the most inclination.

9. A dispenser for numerous different styles of towels or the like, suchdispenser including a tray, a rear wall with which such tray isconnected, side walls connected with the rear wall and extendingforwardly past portions of the ends of the tray, the tray having adispensing slot, and an insert removably mounted on the tray adjacentsaid rear wall and having a portion overhanging the slot and adapted tomodify the form thereof, whereby articles of differing characteristicsmay be dispensed through said slot depending on the presence of theinsert, the said side walls being yieldable and having integral inwardlyprojecting bosses engaged over the insert as a means of holding theinsert in position.

6 10. A dispenser according to claim 9 in which said insert includes a.downwardly and forwardly inclined surface with which said bosses areengaged whereby said insert is held both to the tray and to the rearwall by said bosses. f

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,164,047 12/1915Winter 221-55 1,179,020 4/1916 Marcuse 221-452 1,754,467 4/ 1930Hothersall 221-53 2,253,742 8/1941 West et al. 221-52 2,256,020 9/1941Engel 221-46 2,520,538 8/1950 Gilbertsen 221-199 X 2,830,728 4/1958Krueger et al. 221-48 2,858,045 10/1958 Loeb 221--59 3,028,047 4/1962Tuft 221-44 3,115,998 12/1963 Joyce etal. 221-44 X 3,121,510 2/1964Holzwarth et al. 221-60 3,134,503 5/1964 Jones et al. 221-47 ROBERT B.REEVES, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH N. LEIMER, RAPHAEL M. LUPO,

Examiners.

1. A TOWEL DISPENSER OR THE LIKE ADAPTED TO HANDLE PRODUCTS OF A NUMBEROF DIFFERENT TYPES AND FOLDS, SAID DISPENSER COMPRISING A TRAY FORSUPPORTING A STACK OF THE PRODUCTS TO BE DISPENSED AND COMPRISING ABOTTOM HAVING A REARWARDLY DOWNWARDLY INCLINED FORWARD PORTION AND AGENERALLY HORIZONTAL REARWARD PORTION, THE RESPECTIVE PORTIONS HAVING ADISPENSING SLOT WHICH EXTENDS INTO BOTH OF SAID PORTIONS, THE FIRSTMENTIONED PORTION HAVING A PRODUCT SUPPORTING RIB ALONG THE FORWARDMARGIN OF SAID SLOT AND HAVING LATERALLY SPACED EASER RIBS EXTENDINGFORE AND AFT AND PROJECTING REARWARDLY TO SAID FIRST MENTIONED RIB, THEFORWARD MARGIN OF THE DISPENSING SLOT CURVING FORWARDLY AT ITS ENDS ANDTHE PRODUCT SUPPORTING RIB HAVING TERMINAL HOOKS WHICH INCLUDE FORWARDOFFSETS AND REARWARDLY EXTENDING ENDS ENCIRCLING THE FORWARDLY CURVINGENDS OF THE SLOT, THE SAID DISPENSING SLOT FOLLOWING THE OUTLINE OF SAIDOFFSETS AND HOOKS.